Impressive Pettigrew-trained filly can repeat comfortable last win

Sprinting dominates the card on the Vaal Classic track on Tuesday with five of the eight races devoted to events over 1000m, and just one, Race 5, over 1200m.

Invariably, most of those races look highly competitive but none more so than the 1200m event which is a Middle Stakes. Fillies and mares get a sex allowance in these races so it comes as no surprise to find the three females concerned coming out as the best weighted runners.

And it could be one of those, Callmewhenuneedme, coming out best in this race.

We are just over two weeks into the new season and trainer Stuart Pettigrew has already had six winners from 17 runners. Included in that are nine places, so while his win rate is already impressive at 35.29%, his win-place percentage is sitting at a remarkable 88.24%.

Callmewhenuneedme was allowed to go off at 20-1 in her last start but won like an odds-on favourite, coming clear of the opposition to beat Second Breath by 4.25 lengths. What is more impressive is there is some strong form emanating from that race.

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While there has only been one winner, fifth-placed Wings Within Me, who went off favourite for that last race but was beaten six lengths, she managed to reverse the form with four-placed On Cue who finished second in their next start.

In addition, sixth-placed Alesia’s Love followed up with a 0.40-length second behind Duenna in her next start. Callmewhenuneedme was penalised 4kg for that victory but Pettigrew has managed to offset a large part of that by giving the ride to 2.5kg claiming apprentice Trent Mayhew.

Based on average merit ratings, Tuesday’s race is only marginally stronger than her previous start – 88 to 89 this time – she will only carry 1.5kg more. Although this is the first time the four-year-old daughter of Master Of My Fate will be taking on the colts, she has run against some top-class fillies who have taken care of some very decent male opposition, so that should not be of concern.

She has a decent record on this course, with a win, two seconds and a fourth from four starts, and also has one win and two seconds in three starts over 1200m. Add to that a useful No 3 draw and Pettigrew could well chalk up another victory.

While The Africa House has not really performed well over 1200m and is undoubtedly better over a little further, he could be the main threat to Callmewhenuneedme. Sean Tarry’s charge has run well at this course with his two runs producing a third place behind highly regarded Barbaresco over 1600m and a win on debut over 1000m, beating Virginia Beach who will be running later on this card and looks hard to beat.

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Tarry has engaged Gavin Lerena for the ride and that brings The Africa House well into the reckoning.

Others to consider are Rainbow Reward and another well-handicapped filly, Law Of Success.

Virginia Beach lines up in Race 6, a MR 92 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m, and she could well be the one to beat. While this nicely bred filly was trounced by Mist In Scotland on 20 July she will be 3.5kg better off with that rival on this occasion.

It is also worth noting Virginia Beach was fitted with blinkers for her next run and that saw her concentrate on the job at hand, running on gamely to hold off What A Lucy by 0.15 lengths. The blinkers have been retained for this event.

The main threat will come from Paul Matchett-trained Mist In Scotland. She has won three of her 15 outings but it was her penultimate start success that caught the eye. She galloped her opposition into submission over this course and distance and was still four lengths clear of Virginia Beach at the line.

Exactas with the pair could be the way to go in this event.

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